How To Stay Sane When Travelling With Young Children!

3rd August 2017

Travelling as an adult can be stressful, let alone travelling with a couple of kids in tow.

Mine are 9 months and 4 years old, and my partner and I recently flew with them to Grenada. So after surviving the 11 hour flight, yep the flight was 11 hours!! Including an hour stopover in St Lucia, I thought I’d share my survival tips with you guys.

So here goes…

Load up the iPad
With new apps and programs…one word Netflix!
My eldest daughter lives on Netflix, it literally has every child’s program going. From Pepper Pig, to Paw Patrol, she’d watch it for days at a time, if I’d let her. You can also download programs, directly within the app, so its perfect for flights or whenever there is no wifi.

Pack their favourite toys
A couple of weeks before we are due to fly, I start hiding my daughters favourite small toys. These are perfect to pack in her hand luggage, and she tends to be more excited to see them after they’ve been missing for a while. I also pop into Poundland to pick up a couple of new cheap toys, which adds to their excitement, and keeps them occupied for a bit.

Snacks
Make sure you pack a snack goody bag for your kiddies. Healthy stuff of course, and then maybe a few sweet treats as bribery for good behaviour. Easyjet do a really cute kiddies snack box that my daughter loves.

Neck pillow
Both my daughters have this one:

Which is perfect for their little necks, it even has a magnet clasp so it stays secure but can be easily removed.

5. Take your buggy right up to the aircraft door
Don’t be tempted to check it in. Trust me this makes things so much easier, whilst rushing around a busy airport. You also have to consider things like, if there’s a delay, or if your little one is in need of a nap.

6. Take a baby carrier or slingObviously only if you have a little, little one. This makes it much easier, when getting off the plane and walking through the airport until you get your buggy back. Which you don’t get back, until you get your suitcase.

7. DON’T BOARD EARLY!!
Let me tell you, if you have got an energetic child like me, I would suggest boarding last. Save yourself the headache, once you get on that plane they are then confined to their tiny seat area.
Saying that if you have a baby, then it is probably easier to go ahead and board early.

8. Check a bag…

…And then pack light hand luggage.
Yes I know a lot of short haul airlines charge you to check in a suitcase but, trust me it is SO WORTH IT.
This will make things so much easier, and you can concentrate on getting yourself and the kids onto your flight without having to worry about loads of luggage.

9. Get there early When travelling with young children, infact children in general it is worth getting there early, especially if you have baby related oversized liquids in your hand luggage. This can take up quite a bit of time, depending on how busy security are.
It also makes working your way around the airport much less stressful when you have more time.

10. Don’t follow the hype
My final tip is DO NOT buy into the hype of a trunki! My daughter’s trunki, has been the biggest pain in the butt whenever traveling! Imagine trying to navigate your way through busy Gatwick airport, with your little person trying to slide herself through the crowds, with this irritating little bug bag with wheels that insists not to go the way you want it to!
Trust me when I say they’re not worth the hassle.

Travelling with young children, can be stressful but once you get there, you will forget about it all and just focus on the fun you’re having whilst on holiday!
Both my girls are good travellers, so l’m quite lucky.

I would love to hear any tips other mums would like to share…please comment below.

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2 thoughts on “How To Stay Sane When Travelling With Young Children!”

Thanks for these tips! We are going on our first abroad family holiday in June, with an 18 month old and a 3 year old. I’m dreading the flight a litlle but it’s only 3 hours. I’m not so worried about our eldest – he’ll be pacified with an iPad pretty easily. I’m worried about my 18 month old though as he does not stop moving and hates being restrained! #bloggersclubuk

We had a carrier for my youngest when he was a baby and it was the best thing we could have taken with us! I’m glad you advised against the Trunki! I have wondered in the past as so many people rave about them but all I could see is hassle written all over it! x
#bloggerclubuk